Another Journey
by Rollins221
Summary: Ok, so in my world, Norman didn't kill Norma. Lots of Normero to come. Here's Norman's journey to wellness as I see it. Reviews appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This story is coming out because I was really starting to love seeing Norma and Romero together, and I was really sad that Norman had to go and ruin it. So this is from a world where Norman didn't kill Norma. Hope y'all enjoy!**

"Hey, there, Norma Ray," Alex said, kissing her on the cheek and pulling her close.

Norma laughed. "You know it's Norma Louise."

"Louise isn't as easy to rhyme." He chuckled.

Momentarily confused, Norma just laughed again, "You're in a cheery mood," she observed.

"Yeah, I thought..." he stopped to kiss her, "we could both play hooky today and I'd take you on a nice romantic day out." He winked././

"Oh, honey, I wish I could," Norma said, returning it, "but I'm afraid to leave Norman alone. He keeps having these blackouts and..."

"Norma, I really think it would be better for you and for Norman if he went back into Pineview. He was doing really well there, and you could visit." Alex could feel her shaking in his arms under the weight of her sudden tears. "Oh, Baby, please don't be sad. Norman will get better there, and when he comes home, we can all be a family like you wanted."

Norma's ice blue eyes were still leaking tears of anguish when she met his gaze again. "Alex, I promised Norman years ago that I'd never leave him. I'd feel like I broke that promise if I sent him back."

"But you'd be doing it to help him, Baby," Alex cooed, hoping to soothe her. "Norman needs a lot more help than you can give him here, and we both know that."

"Yeah, but will he understand that?"

"At first, he'll probably be angry and scared and desperate to get you to keep him here. As he gets better, he will thank you for it."

"You think so?"

"Yeah. You wanna protect Norman, right? Keep him safe?"

Norma nodded. "More than anything."

"You cannot keep him safe on your own anymore, Norma. He's... just too sick." It hurt him to see the flash of pain in her eyes at this, so he kissed her forehead. "I know it really hurts to hear that, but it's true."

Norma didn't say anything for a long moment, then finally whispered, "You're right. I can't fix this for him." She cleared her throat and then said in a much stronger voice, "He has to go back to Pineview."

Norman, who was coming down the stairs as she said those words, immediately ran over to them and pleaded, "No, Mother. I can't go back there." He had tears in his eyes already, and a child's voice came from him then. It said, "I won't be safe there. I'm only safe here with you."

Norma glanced at Alex, who let her go so she could take Norman's hands in hers. "You'll be safe there, Norman," she promised. "Honey, I know this hurts, but I can't... I can't keep you safe right now."

"What are you talking about ? You always keep me safe." Norman was getting upset, and Norma saw it in his eyes. She sat down and pulled him onto her lap like she had when he was very little. "Norman, I know you're scared."

"You promised me I wouldn't go back."

"I... I know, Honey," she said, her voice wavering, "and this hurts me more than you know, but you're very sick, and I can't help you right now."

"You... always helped me before." Norman's voice grew harder,"before Sheriff Romero." Alex's name had venom dripping from it, and Norma looked apologetically at him before Norman continued. He asked, "Was this his idea?"

"No," Norma responded. "You need more help than I have the power to give. I can't help you get better. They can because they know how."

"But you knew how before!" Norman's voice was a mixture of anger and fear. "I want to stay with you. I'm safe here because you protect me."

"I can't, Norman," Norma said in a pained voice, "Not... not right now. You're just too sick." It wasn't lost on her that she'd just accidentally used the exact phrase Alex had several minutes earlier.

"If I go there, you'll leave me there, and you'll never come back for me." He was whispering now, clinging to Norma as a frightened child would. Norma held him tighter, kissed his forehead, and replied, "I told you I'd never leave you, and I won't. This... this is just for a little while, and I'll come and visit. You'll only stay until you feel better and the doctors say you can come home. When that happens, I promise I will come and take you home."

"But I want to stay with you!"

"I know you do, Norman, and I wish you could."

"I want to stay here where I'm safe," he said over and over, shaking like a leaf in Norma's lap.

Norma didn't know what to do. She locked eyes with Alex as if to say, "I'm lost. Please help me."


	2. Chapter 2

Alex didn't know how to help her, but she was looking so desperate, he wanted to try. "Norman, you're really sick, and your mom isn't equipped to help."

"I want to stay here with her. It's the only place I feel safe," he whispered, forgetting his anger at Alex for a moment because he was so afraid.

"We know you want to stay, Norman, we do," Norma said. "We understand, but we have to be apart so you can get better."

"You can't leave me. You promised after that night that you left me and Dylan that you'd never leave again. You promised." His voice filled with fear,and he snuggled into Norma even tighter. "Please don't make me go. Please. It's lonely and dark there."

Alex knew Norman really needed help, but his heart ached hearing how frightened he was to go back, so he said, "Norman, how about we just try it for a little while, and if you still don't feel safe, you can call us, and we'll come see how we can help. Will you just try?"

"Yeah, it'll be all right, Honey," Norma said, rubbing his back..

 **"No, it won't be!** " His voice was sharp. "You... you won't be there."

"Honey, I won't be far away. You can call me anytime day or night."

"It won't be the same. You protect me when you're here. Who knows what will happen if you're not around?"

Before Norma could answer, Alex said, "Maybe once you get well, you won't need her to protect you."

Norman was immediately enraged by this, and he leaped off Norma's lap, turning on Alex. "You're just trying to get between us," he seethed. " **No one can ever get between us!"**

Startled by Norman's sudden change of mood, Norma rose and caught him by the shoulders. "Norman, no," she whispered. "Alex just wants to help you."

"Mother, no one's ever helped us. You said so yourself, and now he's proving it by wanting to lock me up so he can have you all to himself. You always said it was just the two of us and that there was no room for anyone else."

"Sweetheart, I was wrong about that. I really, really was."

"How?" he asked, curious. He'd never heard her admit being wrong before, and it intrigued him. "Because it's okay to let other people in. I did with Alex, and he loves me so much that it makes me feel safe." She smiled over at Alex, and he returned it before kissing her. "I'm glad you feel safe, Norma," he said and grinned again.

"So, where do I fit in?" Norman asked her, genuinely not sure.

"Honey, I will always love you just the same, Just because I let Alex in doesn't mean I let you out. I really think you will feel much better if you let the doctors help. I will always be here for you no matter where you are."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely. The cord is tight between our hearts, and it can't be severed that easily. Even while you're at Pineview, I'll only be a call away."

"Okay, Mother. I would like to feel a little safer in my own head. For you, I'll go."

Norma smiled. "My brave boy."

"Is it okay to still be a little scared?" he asked, gripping her hand in his.

"Yeah, of course. I understand that you're scared, and I would be too."

"But you're never scared of anything."

"Norman, right now, I'm scared for you. I'm scared of what might happen if you don't get the help you need. That's what scares me." Norma held him tight for a second. "I will never leave you. I'll always be wherever you are because we're bonded in a way no one else ever will be."

He nodded "Will you come with me to Pineview, just to the doors?"

She glanced at Alex, who nodded. He was going to be wherever she was. He knew this was agony for her.

Turning back to Norman, she said "Of course. Are you ready?"

He gulped and nodded. "Let's go before I change my mind."

About half an hour later, they pulled up at Pineview. By this time, Norman was curled up in the seat, afraid to move. Norma touch his arm and said, "Come on, Norman. I'll walk you to the door."

Norman shook his head. "I can't. I'm scared to. I can't go in there."

Norma groaned inwardly and sent Alex a "give me strength" look.

"I'm right here, Norma," he said and kissed her cheek. "You can do this. You have to do this."

"You're right, but it really hurts." she whispered.

He squeezed her hand and whispered back, "You're a warrior. You're doing so well. You just have to get him to that door."

Norma didn't know if she could do it, but she turned back to him and said a little more firmly. "Come on, Norman. Come to the door with me."

"I can't. They'll eat me alive."

"They won't. They just wanna help you. Come on, Norman, please. For me. You said you'd do it for me."

He turned and took her hand. "Don't let go til I get through that door."

"I won't," she promised. "Come on."

They walked to the door and as they stepped through, she felt him turn into her shoulder and start to cry. "Be brave, Norman, okay?" she whispered. "Remember..."

"You're always where I am," he finished tearfully. "Mother, please don't go."

"I have to. I'm sorry. I have to. Be brave," she said again, hugging him tight one last time as she stepped back and walked out the door. Her heart ached because she could still hear him pleading for her, but she didn't turn back. She walked straight back to the car and climbed in next to Alex.

He didn't speak at first. He simply pulled her close and held her, feeling her tears soak his shirt. After awhile, he rubbed her back and started whispering, "You did the right thing, Norma. You did. I'm so proud of you."

"You are?"

"Hell yeah. I know that must've been so hard, but you did it."

"I did it because I love him."

"Yeah, and he'll understand eventually."

"Alex?"

"Yeah?"

She let out a weary sigh. "Take me home."

He nodded and drove home. He carried her upstairs and tucked her into bed

"Come in with me?"

He smiled and climbed in beside her. "I'm right here, Norma. I'll always be right here."

"I'm gonna hold you to that."


	3. Chapter 3

Later that night, Alex felt Norma tense in his arms. "Norman, I'm sorry," she whispered. "I hurt you when I said I'd protect you. I let you down." Her tears fell even though she was trying to be quiet about it as she had no idea Alex had woken and was hearing her grieve.

"Norma, we talked about this," Alex whispered. "You did it right. He needs help, and you can't give it to him."

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay. I thought this might be hard for you."

"I feel like he'll never forgive me."

"Of course he will."

"No, you didn't see him. He was crying and pleading and..."

"Norma, he was upset and scared. Of course he was doing those things because when he's done them in the past, you've always held him and said, "It's okay, Norman. I'm here, and I'll fix it for you. You can't do that for him now, and I get that it hurts."

"I wanna hold him and tell him to wake up, that it's all some kind of terrible dream and he can be safe with me. I used to be able to kiss every wound and make it all better. I remember once when he was maybe 4. We went to the park to play. He loved the slides, and they had just put in this big one at the far end of the park. His eyes lit up, and he said, "Mom, can I try the big one this time?" Well, of course I was nervous for him. He'd never been on a slide that big before. He was getting older, though, and I realized that he really wanted to go up there, so I asked if he wanted me up there with him. He smiled, but asked me to be down at the bottom to catch him. We did it a few times with no problem, but the third time, he came down faster than I expected, and he slipped and skinned his knee. He was crying because it hurt, so I picked him up and put a bandage on, but not before kissing it and saying, "I'm sorry I couldn't catch you in time. You were going so fast." She stopped to take a breath, and Alex rubbed her back.

"If you don't feel like talking anymore, we can stop," he said softly.

"No, it's okay. So anyway, I calmed Norman down, and he said, "You always make me feel safe." I smiled and told him that's what moms were for. He gave me a big hug and told me I was the best mom he knew. I can guarantee you he doesn't feel that way right now. What kind of mother leaves her little boy alone in a mental ward? Who does that?" She was upset again, and Alex held her close.

"Norma, he isn't a little boy anymore, and you left him there to keep him safe from himself," he soothed.

"But _I_ help him. I protect him. I make him feel better."

"But you aren't a professional, Baby. Norman needs people who understand his illness and who can help him understand it himself. You cover up things after he's already done the damage, but won't it be better if he gets clarity on why he does those things? I know his illness must scare him. He needs people who can keep him stable while treating him."

"So I'm not failing him? Tell me I'm not failing him." Norma's voice broke. She wanted, no, desperately _needed_ , to hear that Norman would be okay without her there. They'd never been apart like this. It pained Norma to know that she wasn't with him when he needed her.

"No, you're not. You're not, trust me," Alex comforted. "Norman will get better much faster if you're apart."

"Are you saying I'm not good for Norman?" she asked with an edge.

"No, no, not at all. I'm saying he might be more open without you there because he won't be worried he will upset you."

"I guess that's true. I I just..."

"I know it hurts, Norma, but I'll be here to help you through."

"Promise?"

"Of course." He kissed her.

"Whatever you do, don't leave my side."

"Never, Norma. You are my other half. When you ache, I ache. We are and always will be one in the same."

"I needed that today. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mrs. Romero."

 **A/N: Hope you all enjoyed! Do you guys think I should do a chapter in Norman's POV, or just keep weaving him in with Norma and Romero? Leave a thought for me in a review if you like!**


	4. Chapter 4

Several days later, Norma couldn't stand it anymore. She had to go and see that Norman was being properly cared for.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Alex asked

"Please," agreed Norma. "I may need you to keep me strong."

They pulled up, and Norma immediately felt herself tensing. She felt sick thinking she'd become so desperate to save Norman that she'd left him with complete strangers. Alex squeezed her shoulder. "Come on, let's go inside."

Norma made her way to the doors, Alex holding her steady. When Norman came out, he practically ran into her arms. "Mother, you must get me out of here," he whispered.

"Norman, you've only been here a few days. You're not near well yet."

"But I feel worse here. My head is so dark. I can't think. I can't breathe. I'm scared to sleep. You have to take me home."

Norma sighed and glanced at Alex. "Norman, you will feel worse before you feel better. It's part of the healing."

"But it scares me, Mother," he said, holding onto her hand tight. "I didn't feel this way at home, not like this."

"Don't worry, Norman, these people understand that. If you tell them how you feel, you'll feel better. Safer, even."

"No, not without you here. Will you stay?"

"Norman, you know I can't do that. I have a motel to run, and the doctors won't like me sticking around."

"Besides," Alex said, "don't you think it will help to talk if she's not around?"

Norman glanced at Norma. "He's doing it again. He wants to get in between us."

"No, Norman, he's not!" Norma immediately felt guilty for yelling. "I'm sorry, Honey. I didn't mean to be sharp. It's just... Alex has made me see that maybe for years, we've been too close. I've put a lot on you, a lot that maybe isn't fair. I mean, you're my son, not my lover and..."

"Stop," Norman whispered. "We can't be too close. It's not possible."

"Maybe we are a little too close,"

"But what about the cord?"

"Norman, that will always be there, but maybe it's okay to cut it a little. Maybe it's okay for me to let you go."

"You can't, Mother. You told me we'd always be together."

"We will, Norman, just not like before. When you come home, we can all be a family, and maybe you can decide what you wanna do without me."

"There is no without you, Mother. You're all I have." Norman was getting scared now, and Norma felt guilty for pushing.

"Norman, Honey, you will outlive me, and I wanna make sure you're safe." She glanced at Alex. She was getting lost again. He held her hands "Norma, keep talking." he whispered.

"Are you sure? He seems really upset."

"Keep going. I'm here if it gets dicey."

Norman wasn't happy that Alex was taking Norma's attention from him, so the child voice said, "Mommy, why have you gone away?"

Surprised by the change, Norma said, "Why do you think I have?"

"You're talking to the sheriff. You forgot I was here."

Norma sighed. There was no way she could forget where any of them were right now no matter how much she wanted to. "I haven't gone away, but can I speak to Norman?"

A voice that sounded a lot like hers then said, "Oh, no. Norman's sleeping, and we probably shouldn't wake him. He's gone through a lot, and I need to keep him sleeping so he's safe."

She exchanged a look with Alex then said, "What are you protecting Norman from?"

"Very dark things, Mrs. Bates," she said.

"So you know who I am."

"Of course. I know you very well."

She smiled. "Well, then, it's time I return the favor. What's your name?"

"Louise."

"Oh, that's my middle name."

"That's no accident."

 _I bet not," Norma thought wearily. What is Norman in the middle of here?_


	5. Chapter 5

Norma sat down across from Louise. "Can you tell me more?" she asked. She hated to admit it, but Louise kind of intrigued her.

"I protect Norman so he doesn't remember all the dark things."

"You keep saying "dark things," Norma said softly. "What dark things do you save him from?"

"Oh, I can't say it out loud because then Norman will wake up and be afraid," Louise replied.

It was extremely surreal for Norma to hear what sounded like her own voice coming from Norman's body. She said, "Louise, where is Norman now?"

"I told you, he's asleep. He's very tired and confused, so I came to help him so he feels safe."

Alex said suddenly, "How long have you been with Norman?"

"Since he was very young, Sheriff," she replied. "I helped him when he got scared."

That's when it hit Norma. "So you were with us all that time? When Norman and I would hide in the closet from Sam, you were there then?"

"Oh, yes," Louise answered. "Many times. "I'm his protector, so when he's too afraid to go on, I come out. All I want is for Norman to not be afraid. Any good mother would want that, right?"

Norma looked over at Alex, who could only give a slight shrug. He wasn't sure what was going on any more than she was. To Louise, she said, "You do know I am his mother, right?"

Louise smiled "You're his mother on the outside. I live inside him, so I can protect him when you aren't here to do it."

"Can we wake Norman now?" Norma pleaded. She feared the longer Louise had control, the weaker Norman would become.

"Not till he feels safe," Louise responded. "He's too scared to come back out."

"Why is he scared?"

"He doesn't like this place. He wants you to take him home where he feels safe."

"I can't take him home. He's not well," Norma said softly. "Clearly, or you wouldn't be here."

"Mrs. Romero?" asked a doctor just coming into the room. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," she agreed, she and Alex following her while Louise made herself comfortable on a couch.

"So, what's wrong with Norman?" Norma asked bluntly. "What's happened?"

"Norman has Disassociative Identity Disorder, or what we used to know as Multiple Personality Disorder. Basically, he has multiple personality states living inside of him. They all exist for a specific purpose, and they're all very different. Each has their own movement pattern, speech, voice, even handwriting."

"Can he be cured? Will I ever see my Norman again?" Norma asked almost desperately.

"The condition can be managed, though it will take quite a long time."

"How long?"

"Hard to say, Mrs. Romero."

"Call me Norma, please, I insist. Listen, how... how did this happen?"

"It comes from trauma in childhood. When a child is faced with severe trauma, he creates new parts of himself to deal with the pain."

"Can I come back and visit?"

"Anytime, Norma, of course."

"This is a lot for me to take in."

"Yes, I understand."

They left Pineview soon after that, but Norma didn't want to go home, so they stopped at the park. She sat down on Alex's lap on a bench.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I'm a lot of things, but all right isn't really one of them," she responded. "Let's forget that for now, though, and just be you and me. What do you say?"

He smiled "I like the sound of that," he said and kissed her softly.

"Ooh, Sheriff Romero," she purred, "Can you do that again?"

"Happy to," he agreed, kissing her again.

Norma just sort of melted under his touch. This was exactly what she needed after a day like today. "Don't ever stop that. That's the best medicine there is." she smiled.

Alex grinned, too. "I won't, but maybe I oughta take you home so we could have a little more privacy."

"Maybe soon you can take me on that romantic day out we've been planning, huh?"

"I think that..." he stopped to kiss her, "is a fine idea."

The next day, Alex made her breakfast in bed. "Wake up, Mrs. Romero," he whispered.

Norma yawned, stretched, and reached up to kiss him. "Hmmm, you know, I'm really starting to like it when you call me that." She smiled.

Alex did the same. "I made breakfast." He climbed back into bed beside her with the tray of French toast and coffee.

Norma sniffed, then kind of moaned. "This smells amazing. I'm starved."

Alex laughed, "Well, eat up because we've got big plans today."

"It would go faster if you help me," she answered, giggling.

When they finished and were putting plates in the kitchen, Norma looked over at the piano.

"Will you play me a tune?" Alex inquired.

She giggled "Really?"

"Yeah, tickle those ivories for me." He smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist as they sat down on the bench.

"Okay, umm..." she thought for a minute and began to play a soft tune. As she played, she felt Alex lay his head on her shoulder. This was what real happiness felt like, and she'd give just about anything she had to stay here frozen in this moment for eternity. The music soothed her, and so did his presence. Though they momentarily forgot they'd had plans, it seemed to Norma that this was right where they both wanted to be.

 **A/N Hope you enjoyed! Don't worry, folks, there's lots more Normero fluff to come!**


	6. Chapter 6

Norma kept playing as she felt Alex come to her side on the bench. The music wrapped around them like a comforting hug for several long moments, and Norma was able to almost completely lose herself in the serenity. For now at least, she was safe and happy. She hoped it would last. She giggled when Alex kissed her neck.

"Stop it," she said, even though that was the last thing she wanted. She giggled again when he kept kissing gently down her arm and to her fingers, which were still resting on the piano keys. By now, though, she had stopped playing and turned toward him. She kissed him and sort of sank into it.

"Alex?" she asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah?"

"Take me away."

"What? Where to?"

"I don't care. I just... I need to be away from all this craziness just for awhile. We have plenty of staff. Maybe we can rent a beach house or..."

"Already done."

"What?" Norma was confused.

Alex pulled her up from the bench and gently put on a blindfold.

"Alex, what are you doing?" she asked, disoriented by the sudden loss of vision.

"You'll see, Mrs. Romero."

Norma purred and nuzzled into him "You know you have me when you use that tone."

He laughed and led her to the car. "Okay, step up,"he said, keeping a hand on her shoulder.

She got in, and he did her seat belt and shut the door. She heard him get in and close his own door.

"Alex, what..."

"Patience, Norma," he said, kissing her cheek.

About half an hour later, the car stopped. Norma got a little scared and reached for Alex. It was funny to her how her world had changed with the addition of the blindfold. "Alex?" she called uncertainly.

"Right here," he said, pulling her door open and lifting her into his arms.

She squealed at being lifted off her feet "Alex!" She gripped his neck.

"Norma, calm down. There's nothing to be scared of. I'm just carrying you since you can't see anything,"

She giggled, flushed with embarrassment. "Of... of course. Yeah."

He laughed and carried her up, taking off the blindfold "Okay, here's your fantasy beach house."

She then laid eyes on the most fabulous 2 story beach dream she'd ever seen "Alex, how did you..."

"A friend owed me a favor, and he's out of town for the next couple weeks. Said we could use the house."

"You're the best. This is just what we need." She kissed him.

"Hmmm, I aim to please."

"Let's go inside." She smiled like a kid at Christmas. She couldn't wait to see their next adventure. Alex laughed and followed her.

A/N: There you go, folks. More Normero fluff! Two chapters in one day, I'm on fire! Hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you soon for the next one!


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, Norma woke with a headache unlike any she'd experienced. Merely opening her eyes was agony. "Ah..."

When Alex came to wake her, he immediately knew something was wrong. "Norma? What is it?"

"My head... it's killing me..." She even found it was painful to talk.

"Shhh, shhh." Alex stroked her head. "I'll help you. Hold on." He went to get her medicine and climbed into bed beside her. "Open up," he whispered,

Norma tried to open, but could only wince in pain. "Alex, it hurts. I can hardly... ooh... move."

Alex gently helped her take the pills, then started to get up to draw the curtains, but Norma stopped him. "Don't... don't go."

"Shhh, I'm not. I'm just going to pull the curtains closed, then I'll come back and hold you."

"Hurry," she whispered, "Please hurry."

He drew them closed and pulled her into him. Her headache was so painful that all she could do was whimper in agony for several minutes. "Shhh, Norma, shhh," he whispered, "I'm here, and we'll get through this together,"

"Don't... go," she said again.

"I won't, he promised, "I'll stay right here with you."

"It... hurts so much."

"You don't have to talk, Norma, you don't have to move, I'll get you back on your feet, don't you worry." He pulled her close "Sleep now," he said softly "I'll be here when you wake up."

A few hours passed, and Norma woke still in pain, but not in agony.

"How are you feeling, Mrs. Romero?" Alex whispered.

"Better," she answered. "It's still there, but not as bad. "

"At least now you can talk without taking a deep breath between words."

"I've never had a pain like that in my life. That really kind of scared me."

"You probably had a migraine," he reasoned. "My guess is all this stress with Norman got to you in a big way."

"Yeah, I'm, I'm sure you're right. I shouldn't stress so much. They'll take care of him."

"It's hard not to. I mean, he's your son, and you're close. You've always been there to protect him, and you can't. I know that causes you a lot of conflict, so I get where you are here."

"Alex, I can't thank you enough."

"For what?"

"For being so strong for me. This has been torture, but you gave me the strength to do what was best for Norman and for me, if I'm honest. I couldn't have done it without you here."

"Oh, listen, I know it was hard, but I was so proud of you when you left Norman in Pineview because I knew it was the right thing. Anything you go through, I'm gonna be right there with you. I'd go anywhere you are for any reason you needed me to. My soul is forever tied to yours, Norma Louise Bates, and that means we're together through thick and thin."

Norma teared up "Alex, no one's ever spoken to me with such love and concern before."

Alex smiled and kissed her. "This is your chance to start over. This is your chance to know what real love feels like."

"I already do. You show me every single day."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I just wanted to take a minute and thank those of you who've taken the time to read and review this story. It means a lot. When I write for Norma and Alex, it just kinda flows out easily. I love these two! Oh, and for the reviewer who asked, yes, they're still at the beach house. Anyway, here's Chapter 8, and I really hope you enjoy.

Later that night, Norma couldn't sleep, so she went down to the water to put her feet in. Her mind was racing thinking of Norman once again. Was he scared? Was he lonely? Did he cry for her when he was alone and no one could hear? Did he feel safe? Did she do the right thing? Could she have done more? Why had she not seen how ill he really was? Would he come home whole? Norma could feel another migraine working its way in, so she rubbed her temples.

"Norma? I thought you might be here." Alex said, pulling her close "Can't sleep?"

"No, I'm so worried about Norman. He's not safe anywhere right now, especially in his own head. Alex, it kills me that I can't help him. I used to be the one he came running to when he didn't feel safe. Now, he's so far away and..." Norma's words were strangled by her tears again.

"Shhhh, let it out," Alex cooed "Let it come, Norma."

"I never cry like this."

"That's because you've been trying so damn hard to be strong for too long." He kissed her cheek. "You're only human, and you've had so much come down on you in the last several years."

"But my tears are ruining our getaway," Norma argued. "You've given us this beautiful gift, and now here I am blubbering away because I can't help my sick son, and..."

"Norma, it's okay to feel this. You don't have to be strong right now. I'm here. I can be strong for you like I did when Norman was admitted."

Norma didn't need to hear more. She just leaned into him and cried until her tears dried up. She hadn't cried like this since Sam hit her the first time, but she had to admit that letting it out was really helping. She was crying for Norman, for herself, for every piece of agony they'd both suffered through during all these years.

"It's not fair," she whispered finally.

"What's not?"

"Life. Why does there have to be so much pain?"

"I don't know, Norma. I wish I could've helped you then."

"You're helping me now. Knowing that you're here is giving me such strength, I'm worried about Norman, but now I know I'm not alone."

"You'll never be alone again," he said, kissing her softly.

Norma kissed back and snuggled into his shoulder looking out at the water. "Never?" she asked.

"Not for a second."


	9. Chapter 9

About two hours later, Norma's cell rang, and when she picked up, she could only hear Norman whimpering. "Norman? Honey, is that you? What's happened? Talk to me."

The whimpering continued.

"Norman, please. Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"Mommy?" the younger voice asked.

"Yes?" Norma answered. She knew this had to be the child, the one who called herself Zoey. Norman hadn't called her mommy since he was very young. "I'm listening. What is it?"

"I wanna come home. I'm scared, and I want you to come get me."

Norma sighed. "I can't, Zo. It's better you stay with the doctors until you feel better."

"The bad man is here," she said.

"What bad man?"

"The one who hurt Norman."

Norma's breath caught in her throat. "Who was it?" she asked, desperate to hear the answer.

"This is why I'm here," came Louise's voice. "Zoey gets quite upset. I've told her she can't cry like that or she will wake Norman."

"She said a man hurt him and that he's there now. Do you know who he was, Louise?"

"The one in the dark hat."

Norma groaned in frustration. "I mean his name. What was his name?"

"Norman's sound asleep. I can't risk waking him."

"Louise, please, I need to hear it so I can help."

"I don't wanna scare Norman."

"It could be our secret."

"Norma, he's not ready yet. If I say it out loud, he will wake up again."

"What's so wrong with his being awake?"

"He gets upset when he's awake. That's what happened when I killed Blair Watson. He- he got confused, and I took over."

Norma's mind reeled. "You killed Blair Watson?"

"Yes. Norman wasn't safe with her. I had to protect him."

Norma said, "We'll talk later, Louise," and hung up the phone, turning to Alex with her face as pale as a ghost. He'd been carrying the dinner trays, but sat them down when he saw the look in her eyes. "Norma, what's wrong?" he asked, pulling her close.

"Louise just confessed she killed Blair Watson," she answered in a whisper.

"Louise as in Norman's protector personality?"

"Yeah, she said Norman wasn't... safe. She... said... she... protected him." Her breathing was suddenly ragged and shallow. Alex rubbed her back. "Breathe for me, Norma," he said in a soft voice.

Norma was starting to feel herself go into a panic attack. "Alex, get me out. You have to get me out. I can't breathe, and my chest... and I can't see very well... I'm scared, Alex. Help me." Her words came in a breathy tone as if she couldn't quite get them all out.

"How can I help?"

"Give me... your hand," she gasped out. "And keep... keep talking."

He took her hand and rubbed it with his other one "You're safe, Norma," he said in a soothing voice.

"I'm trapped. I... can't get out."

"No, you're here at the beach house. You're with me. You're safe,"

"Alex?"

"I'm here."

"Don't... let go."

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely." He kept rubbing her back.

About ten minutes passed, and she finally relaxed. "Alex, why didn't I see how sick Norman was?"

"Sometimes it's hard to see when the people you love are struggling."

"Do you think they can save him?"

"I hope so, for both of your sake," he whispered, hugging her to him,


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, Norma woke up early. Alex was still asleep so she went down to the water and put her feet in. The newly risen sun was warm on her, and it was comforting. Here, at least for a moment, she could forget the trouble and worry she left behind in White Pine Bay. A part of her felt guilty for relaxing, but a part of her knew it was much needed. As she straightened her arms and leaned back in the sand, she felt Alex's strong arms wrap around her. "I was worried about you," he said, settling beside her.

"Oh, I'm okay. I just woke up early and didn't wanna wake you."

"Are you sure you're okay? You had a lot dropped on you last night."

"As long as you're here, I will always survive."

"I'll make sure of it."

Norma smiled. "Always keeping me safe."

"When you're in pain, all I wanna do is hunt the person down who caused it and give them a strong talking to." he kissed her. "I only wanna bring you happiness, Norma."

"Oh, Alex, you do. Every single moment, even the painful parts, have brought us here. We've been through so much, but we've made it. That means so much. You support me no matter how painful it is. I have never had anyone love me the way you do, and I will never for one second take that for granted. I'm so lucky to have you."

Alex shook his head. "No, I'm the lucky one, When I met you, you were lost and in need, and I was just focused on my job at first. As time went on, I started to fall for you in this incredible way, and I knew you needed my help. All I wanted to do was protect you."

"And you did. You did a lot more than showed me unconditional love and trust. When Norman was young and he was afraid, he'd have me play the piano for him. Sam would hear it, and he'd bark at me to stop and usually slap me around a little. Norman would scream and try to pull him away," she stopped and sniffled. "You'd never put me through that. I know it because I trust you all the way."

"I will never take your trust lightly. I know it took a lot for you to give it to me."

"It did. I've been through some really hurtful things. In fact, I think it's time I tell you the truth about the night Sam died, for real this time. We had a fight, the usual thing."

"Usual thing?"

"Yeah, him screaming at me, me defending myself. Anyway, he grabbed me, and he was about to shove me up against a wall when Norman came in and hit him in the head, but he had this blank look. I knew he didn't know what he'd done because when he looks like that, he's blacked out. I checked for a pulse . He was dead. I tucked Norman into bed, then I dragged Sam downstairs and pulled the shelf down on him to make it look like an accident. Norman woke up and found him, and then we moved to White Pine Bay 6 months later. "

"Well, from now on, I'm gonna do my best to give you every happiness." He kissed her head.

"I like the sound of that."

 **A/N: Thanks everybody for leaving me reviews! Hey, if any of you have an idea you'd like to see me write into my story, let me know! Hope you're enjoying it so far!**


	11. Chapter 11

"So where do you wanna go now, Mrs. Romero?" Alex asked.

"Oh, do we have to go? I like it right here." Norma smiled.

"Okay, we'll stay right here then."

Norma nuzzled his cheek "It's so warm and peaceful here. Can we stay?"

"For awhile."

"No, I mean as in move here. There's a lot of peace here."

"What about the motel? What about Norman? He's going to need you when he comes out."

"Okay, okay, you're right. It's just a lot less stressful here, and..."

"I know, and we can come back anytime you need a rest because... " He smiled "It's ours."

"Alex, you said it was a friend's," Norma said, smiling.

"I lied. I wanted to surprise you, and I wanted to wait til you really needed to hear it."

"Oh, Alex..." Norma teared up a little. "Thank you. I so needed this."

"I knew you did, and there's one other thing I wanted to do while we're here." He got down on one knee and held out a jewelry box. When Norma opened it, she saw a sparkling emerald bracelet. "Alex, it's beautiful." She kissed him.

"It's my way of asking if you'll marry me, for love not insurance this time." He put it onto her wrist.

"Of course I will," she agreed, her eyes welling with tears. "And anyway, you already call me Mrs. Romero, so we're halfway there," she whispered, then giggled.

He took her in his arms, pulling her against him as they listened to the waves crash against the shore.

"My hero," Norma whispered, putting a playful hand to her head as if she might faint.

Alex laughed. "Always." He heard her phone ring. "You want to get that?"

"Do you mind?"

"No, it's okay."

She picked it up. "Hello?"

"Norma?" Emma's voice asked.

"Emma! It's so good to hear your voice. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm good. Is it okay if I bring Katie up to see you? Dylan's off on a business trip, and it's lonely here."

"Oh, that would be great, but Alex and I aren't in White Pine Bay at the moment. We're at a beach house about 60 miles away."

"Great. What's the address? Katie's been asking to see you for awhile now, and it's time for a family reunion."

Norma smiled, and her voice lifted a little as she gave her the address.

Alex smiled, too."What is it?"

"Emma's coming up with Katie. She just turned 3, and we haven't seen each other in a few months now. You don't mind that I told her she could come I hope?"

"No, not at all."

A couple hours later, Norma heard a knock and went to get it, finding Emma on the other side holding Katie. She grinned and bent forward to give her a hug. "Emma, it's so good to see you. And oh, my goodness, Katie, look at you!"

Katie smiled "Nana!" She couldn't quite say Norma yet, so Nana was the closest she could get. Norma held her arms open. "Want to come and give Nana a hug?"

Katie giggled and immediately went into them. "Nana, I missed you."

"Oh, I missed you too, Katie-bell." she kissed her head."Emma, how've you been?"

"We're good. It's been good for us. Dylan got a new job at an office up in Seattle, and I'm staying home with miss Katie." She grinned and kissed her cheek, which sent her into a fit of giggles.

"We play all day, Nana," she said once she'd stopped.

"Oh, that sounds like fun."

"Who's that?" Katie asked, pointing at Alex.

He smiled "My name is Alex."

She giggled, taking the hand he reached out. "I'm Katie. Wanna play?"

"Can I?" he asked Emma.

"Sure, Sheriff Romero," she answered.

He took her from Norma's arms and took her outside to play in the sand.

"Emma, now that we're alone, there's something I should tell you," Norma said, her mood darkening a little.

"What's wrong? You only sound like that if something's wrong, Are you sick?"

"No, it's not me. It's Norman. I had to send him back to Pineview. He's gotten worse, Emma."

"Well, can you watch Katie while I go up and see him? Maybe I could help."

"Are you sure?"

"Norman's my friend. I have to try."

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this one! I wanted to thank whoever it was that offered me the constructive criticism on chapter 10. I hope it's improved. I'll see you guys soon for chapter 12!


	12. Chapter 12

"Yes, we'll watch Katie," agreed Norma.

Emma grabbed her purse and drove up to Pineview. She hoped that she could reach Norman. When she pulled up, she parked and walked up the path through the doors.

"Can I help you?" asked the woman behind the counter.

"Can I see Norman Bates?" Emma inquired. "I'm am old friend of his from home. Emma Masset."

"Of course. One moment."

Norman stepped out, but it was Louise who had taken over.

"Emma! Norman said he hoped you'd come by," she said, trying to act casual.

"Can Norman come out? I'd really like to talk to him if I could."

Before Louise could answer, Norman resurfaced and smiled. "Emma, you came," he said happily.

Recognizing Norman, Emma relaxed and hugged him. "Norman! It's so good to see you again."

"I've been gone for a while, haven't I?"

"Well, I guess you have. I just got here. Norman, when you leave, do you get to watch what happens?"

Norman shook his head. "I know I've gone, but it's like I'm underwater. Sometimes I don't come back for minutes, sometimes it's days, and maybe even weeks, but I have no memory of it."

"That must be scary."

"It is because it's like I'm being slowly drowned. I wanna come up for air. I wanna get better, but I can't fight it. It's too strong," Norman's eyes glassed over, and he could feel himself losing the fight again.

Emma could see it too, and she grabbed his hand tight "No, Norman, don't go. Stay with me. I'm here. Keep fighting it. Listen to my voice."

"Emma?" His voice sounded distant, but it was still his own.

"Yeah, I'm right here. Come back to me, Norman. Come on. I've got your hand. Just don't let go."

"Emma, are you still up there?" Norman asked, frightened.

"Yeah, Norman, I'm here. Keep fighting." She grabbed his hand tighter. After a minute, he said, "Will you stay and keep me here?"

"Oh, Norman, I don't know if I can."

"You're the only one who can keep me from going underwater. Please, Emma. I need you here."

Emma sighed. "Okay, Norman. I'll stay for awhile."

"No you can't!" Louise cried out. "If you stay, Norman will stay awake, and he'll remember too much. I can't protect him if you're here."

"Maybe it's time Norman remembers," Emma said softly. "I'll be here to help."

"Can I trust you?" Louise asked.

Emma wasn't sure how to answer. After a minute, she said, "I don't know if you can, but Norman does. Doesn't that count for something?"


	13. Chapter 13

Louise considered for a moment. "I guess if Norman trusts you, I can too," she said finally.

Norman came up coughing a few minutes later as if he'd actually been underwater.

"Whoa, Norman, you okay?" Emma asked, patting his back.

"Yeah, I think so. Where were we?"

"You were telling me how it's been here."

"Hard because I keep blacking out. Emma, how am I supposed to get help if I'm not here to get it?" He put his head in his hands, and when he lifted it again, his eyes were all teary. "I don't wanna be sick anymore. I don't wanna be scared of myself, of what I'll do without knowing it." He put his head back in his hands and wept.

Emma's heart ached. She hated seeing Norman so broken. She rose and went around the table they were at and took him into her arms. "It's gonna be okay, Norman. It will. I'll be here. So will Dylan and your mom and Sheriff Romero. We all want you to feel better so you can come home and feel safe."

"I'll never feel safe again," Norman whispered.

"Why's that. Norman?"

"Because my mother can't be here. She's always made me feel safe, and she can't ever spend the night. The doctors think it hurts me to have her visit, but that's the only time I feel safe is when she's holding me close and telling me I'll get through this."

"Well, will I do for now?" Emma asked, smiling.

Norman nodded. "You'll do fine, Emma," he promised.

"You gotta have faith. You'll get better, Norman. It will just take time."

"How much time?"

"I wish I knew. I do know that we're all behind you."

"I feel so alone because I don't even understand what's going on in my head. I don't know how to tell them."

"Them?"

"The doctors."

"Well, you trust me, right?"

"Of course, Emma."

"Well, what if you told me some of your secrets?"

A/N: Hope you're enjoying the Norman/Emma chapters. There's some more Normero to come soon.


	14. Chapter 14

"You want him... to tell you the secrets of his past?" Louise said cynically.

"Damn it, Louise, let Norman tell me!" Emma screamed in frustration. "He can't get better if you keep screwing it up!"

"But I have to protect him."

"His family and I are here to do that for him. Can't you see that?"

"You don't understand."

"I understand more than you think. I've known Norman for quite a few years now. I know him well, and I know that your presence isn't helping him. It's only hurting him and making him confused. Don't you want to see him well and whole?"

"But if he is, I will go away, and he won't be protected like before," Louise whispered. "Is that a good thing, or will I be letting him down?"

Emma shook her head. "No, you will save him. He's been suffering so long, and if you give him back his memories, the things that you're afraid of him knowing, we will help him. Norman will be safe with us."

"He will?" Louise's voice broke. "Are you sure? I don't want to leave without my Norman safe."

"He will be, Louise," Emma said. "I promise."

With that, Louise reluctantly faded, allowing Norman to resurface. "I'm scared, Emma. I want Mother," he whispered, something childlike and desperate in his voice.

"She'll come to you," Emma reassured him.

"I need her now."

"Okay, do you want me to call her for you?"

"Mother!" he gasped out, and Emma had to try hard not to chuckle. "The phone, Norman. I can call her on the phone for you."

"No, I wanna do it."

Emma handed him her phone and watched as his shaking fingers dialed.

"Hello?" Norma said after 2 rings,

"Mother? I... I need you here. Can you come now?"

"Norman? Honey, is that you?"

"Yeah, I... I'm really scared right now, and... and I need you desperately. Can you come?"

"Of course, Norman. Of course I'll be there. Can you give the phone to Emma for a minute?"

Norman handed it over, and Emma answered the question before she'd asked. "You can leave Katie with Sheriff Romero. Norman needs you now."

"Tell him I'm coming. Tell him to hold on. I'll be there soon."


	15. Chapter 15

"Alex, I'm sorry to run off," Norma said, looking down, "but Norman needs me. Do you mind watching Katie?"

He shook his head. "No, not at all. I understand."

She kissed him. "I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise."

Alex nodded. "It's okay. You need to go to Norman. We'll be okay."

She kissed him again, grabbed her purse and keys, and drove to Pineview probably way faster than she should have, but Norman's desperately pained voice kept playing over and over in her head. She got to the counter and said, "I'm here for Norman Bates." She felt no need to offer any further explanation.

"One moment," answered the woman.

Norman ran out with Emma behind him. "Mother! You came!"he cried out, running into her arms. He was trembling, and he was holding onto Norma so tightly that for a moment, she couldn't breathe.

"Shhh, Norman, shhh," she said when she'd recovered. "Of course I came. I'll always come for you. What's wrong?"

Norman couldn't speak for a long moment because he was shaking so hard. "Mother, it's safe now because you're here," he said finally.

"I'll always keep you safe if I can, Norman. Oh, Baby..." she pulled him onto her lap. "You haven't told me what scared you."

"I remember now," Norman whispered.

"What do you remember?"

"All the people I hurt, all the people I killed. All the pain I caused," he answered, cuddling into Norma.

"Oh, Norman..." Norma didn't know what to say or how to help him. Instead of trying to find words, she only rocked him for a few minutes, then said, "My poor Norman. This is the kind of thing I never wanted you to know. I didn't wanna worry you or make you afraid. I wanted to protect you."

"Mother, this isn't your fault," Norman said, shaking his head. "It's mine. I'm bad."

Norma shook her head, her eyes tearing up. "No, no. Honey, you're not bad, you're just sick. They can help you here."

"Stay with me, Mother," Norman pleaded. "I need you. I can't do it without you. I don't feel safe alone here."

"Are you sure, Norman?" Emma asked. "Are you sure it won't make it worse?"

"It can't get worse, Emma!" Norman said sharply, then, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you."

"I understand," she said, smiling,

"Norman, Honey, let's talk with the doctors before I move in, okay?"

"You'd consider it?" he asked hopefully.

"For you, Norman, anything." She smiled and kissed his head "Why don't you show me to your doctors, and we can talk to them together, okay?"

"Now?"

"Sooner the better," she answered, nodding.

Suddenly elated at the possibility that Norma may not have to leave him again, Norman leaped off her lap and tugged her hand like an anxious toddler, but Emma said, "Norma, could I... could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, Emma. Norman, wait for me in the office."

"At the motel?" Norman asked hopefully.

"No, Honey, in your doctor's office," she answered, casting a lost glance at Emma. Norman was a lot sicker than she'd first thought. She wanted to help him, but didn't have a clue how.

"Mother? Are you coming?" he called.

"Yes, Norman, I'll be there soon. Go find your doctor, and I'll catch up, okay?"

"But you said you'd come with me."

"I will. I just need to have a chat with Emma first."

Norman locked eyes with her, looked down, and said, "Okay. I'll wait for you in Doctor Bruno's office." He went off to find the door.

"Yes, Emma?"

"Are you sure you moving in here is the best thing for Norman?"

"Just for now, until he feels safe."

"What about Sheriff Romero?"

"I'm sure he'll understand."

"But what happens if Norman gets worse?"

"Emma, I'm his mother. I have to try."


	16. Chapter 16

"I'm gonna go make a phone call," Emma said softly. She went off to dial Romero. "Sorry to call so late, Sheriff," she started.

"Emma, what's wrong?"

"Norman called Norma because he's remembering things, and... he's asked her to stay here with him. She's considering it. You gotta come down and talk her out of it. It won't help her or Norman. She needs you, Alex. Hurry."

He sighed. "Okay, we're coming."

She hung up and walked back to Norma. After a minute, she said,"You're kidding, right, Norma? Tell me you're kidding."

"No, Emma, I'm very serious."

"Norma, you're... you're talking about moving into a mental institution to help Norman. This is not like a skinned knee. You can't just kiss it and make it all better. You can't comfort him by telling him this is all some terrible dream. He's very sick, and it can't be solved in a simple way."

"But he needs me," Norma said, her voice soft and broken.

"Norman needs you... " Alex said, "To be rational."

"Alex, how did you get here?"

"Emma called me to talk some sense into you. Baby, I understand you wanna help him and be here for him. I get it," he said, handing Katie to Emma.

"Mommy, what's wrong with Uncle Norman?" Katie asked.

"Uncle Norman," Norma said before Emma could answer,"is very sick in the head." She glanced over at Alex, who grabbed her hand tight.

"Like his head hurts?" Katie guessed, not understanding.

"No, his head doesn't hurt, Katie-Bell," Emma said, holding back tears. She didn't wanna cry in front of her. "Uncle Norman is..."

"Mommy, what's wrong?" Katie patted her cheek.

"Mommy just misses him," Emma whispered.

"He's not gone, is he, Nana?" Katie wondered, still supremely confused.

"No, Baby, he's not gone," Norma said softly.

"Then how you miss him?"

Alex stepped over. "They miss how Uncle Norman used to be before his brain got sick."

Norma smiled, admiring Alex's easy way with her. "He's right," she said, pecking him on the cheek. "It's hard for us to see Uncle Norman now cause he's different from before he got sick."

"We get him soup, make him feel better?" Katie offered.

Emma stroked her hair. "It's not that kinda sick, Katie-Bell," she said. "Let's give Nana and Uncle Alex a minute to talk, hmm?"

"Mommy, do we have to go?"

"Just for a little while."

Katie gave them both hugs, and she and Emma turned to go. Alex pulled Norma into an empty room. "Norma..."

"Don't say it."

"I have to say it. We talked about this. Norman is sick. He needs help."

"He needs me," Norma said stubbornly.

"Norma, you can't make this better for him. You moving in here is only going to make it worse."

"How?"

"He won't be as open with you around. He doesn't want to hurt you."

"I don't like to see him aching, Alex."

"I know you don't. I know, and I get that."

"I have to try." Norma's eyes welled with tears.

Alex pulled her close. "Baby, do you really believe moving in here with Norman, making out like this is your fresh start and everything else never happened will make him get better?"

The tears spilled over, and she shook her head "No, but I so wish it would," she whispered, leaning against him.

Norman peeked around the corner "Mother? Aren't we going to..." he stopped when he saw her tears. "Mother, what is it?" He ran to her ."Did Romero hurt you?" He glanced at Alex and was almost ready to square off with him when Norma put her hands on both their chests.

"He didn't hurt me, Norman," she answered, "He's made me see things clearly. I... I can't stay here with you."

"Don't say that," he begged. "You can. Don't leave me alone again. It's not right without you here. It's not safe. Mother, please. You can't leave me here!" He was starting to panic.

"Norman, Norman..." She held him close. "Calm down. Everything will be okay."

"It's so dark without you," he whispered. "You're pretty much all I have."

"And I'm still here for you," Norma assured him. "I just can't stay here with you all the time. It won't help you get better, and it actually might make it worse. I don't wanna ever do anything that might hurt you in the end."

Norman considered this before saying, "Will you come back to visit?"

"Anytime you need me."

"Can I come home to you and Romero when I'm well?"

"Yes, Norman."

"Promise?"

"Of course. Do you trust me?"

"Yes, Mother, I trust you."

"All right, then be brave," Norma said, hugging him one last time before she and Alex stepped out. "I don't know what will happen," she whispered.

"No one does. Time, Norma," he said, rubbing her shoulder.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this one! Do you guys think I should include Dylan here somewhere?


	17. Chapter 17

As they drove back to the beach house, Norma was silent . She had a lot to process.

"Norma? Are you okay? Alex asked.

"Yeah, I just... I hadn't prepared myself for the facedive off a cliff that this whole saving Norman thing was gonna be."

"I know it's hard, Norma, but you're doing so good."

"It's rough because I know he's scared, and I hate not being able to protect him."

"You are by allowing him to be somewhere safe with professionals."

"Then why do I feel like I let him down?"

"Because you're used to being there to fix things, and this isn't something you can fix."

"What if we adopted?"

"Whoa, Norma, we go from talking about Norman to adoption? Where is this coming from?"

"Well, I saw you with Katie, and I just..."

He smiled "Well, how bout we wait to see how Norman does , then we'll consider it, okay?"

"Really?"

"Sure. It might be a really fun adventure to take with you after all this is over."

"I think so too." She smiled.

They pulled up to the beach house and got out. Norma ran to the water. It calmed her tremendously. Alex just chuckled and followed.

"I love it here," she said softly. "It brings me a lot of peace."

"I didn't know you liked beaches."

"Oh, yeah. I grew up in Florida, so I spent a lot of time near water. I had anxiety as a girl, and the water always calmed me down."

"I didn't know that."

"Well, I don't tell a lot of people because I don't wanna seem like a victim."

"Oh, you are anything but a victim, Norma Louise Romero." he said, winking.

She laughed and kissed him "I certainly hope not."


	18. Chapter 18

Norma sighed, looking out at the water.

"What is it?" Alex wondered

"People always get away with everything."

"Norma, what..."

"The people who hurt me. The people who hurt Norman when he was young."

"I'm sorry, but I'm still confused."

"The thing that Norman is so afraid of is..."

"What is it?"  
"There was a man that made Norman do things he didn't wanna do, and I'm afraid of what will happen if he remembers that."

"He survived going through it. He'll survive remembering it."

"I really hope so."

"Norman is stronger than you think,"

"He's such a sensitive boy."

"Yeah, he is, but he'll make it."

"Will I?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't you?"

"When we moved to White Pine Bay, I had this big dream about taking Norman and wiping the slate clean, then the night we moved in, Summers ruined it." Suddenly realizing she'd said too much she stopped.

"I know all about what happened. It doesn't surprise me. I do wish you'd told me."

"I was scared to because I thought it would ruin us. Norman did want to call you, but I told him not to."

"Why do we keep going back to the past, Norma? We have so much in front of us now. We can make a new life, one that doesn't involve all these hurtful people and circumstances."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's do that."

Meanwhile, at Pineview, Norman was lying on the doctor's couch struggling to breathe as he recalled all these different dark events from his past and Norma's.

"Breathe, Norman," Doctor Bruno urged.

When he'd recovered a little, he said, "I didn't wanna hurt him, but he was hurting Mother, so I had to protect her. I always protect her."

"Who?"

"My father. He hurt her when I was too little to help her, too. He hurt her all the time. One day, they were fighting, and she was screaming, so I came in. He was pulling her by her hair. I watched for a minute. I think I was kind of shocked. Then I walked into the room and hit him hard on the head so he'd stop hurting her."

"You saved her."

"We save each other. Except now because she's not here."

Dr. Bruno sighed. "We talked about this, Norman."

"Can't I go home?"

"No, you're not ready yet."

"Can she come here?"

'To visit not to stay."

"But I can't get better unless she's here."

"Why is that, Norman? Why do you feel you can't get well if she's not around?"

"Because we've never been apart. I don't feel whole without her."

Dr. Bruno sighed. Norman Bates was going to be a really tough case. "Norman, you do realize we're talking about your mother here, not a girlfriend."

"You don't understand us. No one ever has." He gave her a dark look.

"Then help me, Norman. Make me understand."


	19. Chapter 19

A few days later, Norma got changed into a periwinkle blue sundress, and Alex was in a white suit. They were going to renew their vows.

"Are you ready, Mrs. Romero?"

"Yes, more than ready." She smiled

They walked down to the beach where the minister was waiting. He smiled. "We're here to rekindle the flame of love that exists between Norma and Alex. Marriage, as we all know, is something that shouldn't be entered into lightly or ill advisedly. Love will win if communication persists. Norma, if you please."

Norma took his hands. "Alex, I'm so grateful to you. You've shown me what true love is, and I will never take it for granted. I love you so much, and I'll never forget all the things that you've taught me. I'm ready for any journey as long as you are by my side. With this ring, I again give you my promise to be your forever partner, your confidant, and your best friend." She wiped her eyes. "I cannot wait to see what our future holds." She slipped the ring on his finger.

"Alex?" asked the minister.

Alex squeezed her hands. "I love you so much, Norma, and I can't wait to take you on so many new adventures. We have so much we can do now, so much I can show you. I want to give you a new, happy life. With this ring, I promise you I will always be there when you need me. I promise that no matter what, I will always love and support you. I will always give you my whole heart, and I'm so lucky to have you with me forever and always." He slipped her ring on. They had gotten new rings to symbolize the start of a new life.

The minister smiled. "I pronounce you man and wife once again. You may kiss the bride."

He took her in his arms and kissed her, and time stood still for them both in that moment.

A/N: Sorry it's been a few days, folks! Had a little case of writer's block, but I do hope you enjoyed this one! What do you wanna see happen next in my story? More Normero? Should I cut back to Norman? Do you wanna see some Dylemma family time? Leave me some seeds of inspiration in your reviews! Thanks for reading, everyone, and I'll see you soon for the next one!


	20. Chapter 20

After the ceremony, Norma turned to Alex. "Where should we go now?"

"Wherever you want, Mrs. Romero, " he answered, smiling.

"Ooh, you have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. Can we go into the village in town? I hear there's this great little antique shop there."

"Sure, if that's what you want."

With that, they headed to the shop.

"Oh, Alex, look, wouldn't these curtains look good in the motel lobby?"

Alex chuckled. He personally didn't know the first thing about design, but as he was looking at the royal blue curtains, he realized they made Norma happy, so he said, "Sure, go ahead. We'll hang them when we get back."

Norma smiled and grabbed them."Let's see what else is here," she said as she picked through the aisles. "Look at the patina on these sconces."

"Don't all the rooms have sconces?"

"Yeah, but these look more vintage."

He smiled. "Whatever floats your boat, Norma," he said, chuckling.

She slapped him playfully. "Don't make fun of me."

"I'm not. I'm just watching and waiting."

"Ooh, vinyl records."

He smiled. She looked like a kid in a candy store, and he wouldn't have it any other way. All he wanted was for her to be happy and feel safe, and right now, it seemed that she very much did, so he felt he was doing right by her. He hoped all of her days were as peaceful as this one had been.

Meanwhile, back in White Pine Bay, Dylan had returned from his business trip and was at the park with Katie while Emma cleaned the house and cooked for a dinner party they were hosting that weekend.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, Princess?"

"Will you tale me on the slide, please?"

Dylan nodded. "Sure, Baby." They went over to the slide.

Katie looked up nervously. "Will you come up with me?" she asked.

"Yeah, I will."

"Carry me?"

"Okay, I'll carry you." He scooped her up. "Hold on tight."

As he started to climb, Katie got nervous. "Daddy, I don't wanna fall!" she cried out. "Don't let me fall!"

Dylan smiled. "I've got you, Katie-Bell," he whispered. "You;re not gonna fall."

They got to the top, and Katie got scared again "It's high. I wanna get down."

"We'll go down together," Dylan said. "Here, let me show you." He put her on his lap. "Ready?"

"You got me?"

"Yeah, I've got you."

"Let's go."

He let go of the bar at the top, and they went sailing down, Katie squealing in excitement.

"Again, Daddy!" she squealed, clapping, "Again!"

Dylan smiled and carried her back up. He'd do this 15 million times just to see that level of excitement on her face again.

A/N: 20 chapters! Can you believe we've made it this far, you guys? That's wild! Anyway, I hope you're enjoying it. Thanks so much for reading, and I can't wait to hear what you thought. See you soon for the next one!


	21. Chapter 21

When they got back a few days later, Norma was feeling sick and nauseous, and Alex was worried.

"Norma, are you all right?"

"Yeah, it's probably just a bug."

"Well, you go up and rest. I'll make you some tea."

"But the motel..."

"I'll take care of it. You rest."

Norma nodded, going up to climb into bed. A little bit later, he came up with her tea. She slipped slowly, and it was going fine until she had to run and empty her stomach. Alex followed since he was very concerned. After she finished, he said, "Here, let me carry you back to bed."

Norma nodded and let him tuck her in. "Alex, the motel."

"I'll take care of it," he promised again.

"Sure?"

He kissed her head "Yeah, don't worry." He went back downstairs, and it wasn't long before Norma fell asleep. About an hour later, she woke up, and it hit her. She went into the bathroom and grabbed a pregnancy test from the medicine cabinet. She took it and waited anxiously for 3 minutes. When she looked, the answer was clear: Positive. She was a little surprised. She and Alex had made love the week before they left for the beach house, which by now was 3 weeks prior, but neither had thought this was a possibility since they'd used a condom.

 _"Well," thought Norma, "I suppose it broke."_ The strange thing was, she wasn't scared at all. No, she was happy. She couldn't wait for this adventure. She went downstairs to find Alex in the living room. "Alex?"

He looked up from his book and said, "Oh, hi, are you feeling better?"  
"Yes, but we need to talk."

"Is something wrong?"

She smiled. "Not at all. Remember that night a few weeks ago?"

He smiled, too. "Yeah, what about it?"

"Well, we're gonna have a baby."

Alex stood there for a minute absorbing it, then came over with a big grin on his face and hugged her close. "A baby. First a renewal and now a baby."

"So, you're happy?"

"Happy? I'm over the moon, Norma."

"Good, me too," she whispered, leaning against him.


	22. Chapter 22

It occurred to Norma that Norman might not welcome this baby as openly as she and Alex had. It scared her to think what he might do if he knew.

"Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"Should we tell Norman?"

"Maybe not... not yet. He's probably not ready to hear the news."

"I agree. Maybe it's too soon. Are you okay with me seeing him on my own this time?"

"Are you sure you wanna do that?"

"Don't worry, there are always people around, so I'll be okay."

He kissed her. "Hurry back, Mrs. Romero."

"Oh, I intend to," she said, smiling.

She drove up to Pineview and walked inside to wait for Norman. She was just settling down into a chair when she heard a scuffle. She heard an orderly say, "Norman, don't get excited."

She then heard Louise's calm voice say, "He won't, Stanley, because now he's asleep. He's safe now."

 _Oh, great, Norma thought wearily. Here we go again._

She saw them coming out, and Louise said, "Mrs. Bates. Good to see you again. Sorry Norman's not awake for your visit." She sat down and crossed her legs in a way that looked very strange given she shared Norman's body and he'd never cross his legs like that. Dr. Bruno had been right. They were all very different.

"Why is he sleeping now?" she asked.

"He got scared in therapy."

"Why? Maybe I can help."

"He had a nightmare."

"About what?"

"He thinks... you've died, Mrs. Bates. That's really painful for him,"

Norma's mind reeled. "He thinks I'm dead?"  
Louise nodded grimly. "I'm afraid so."

 _Great, thought Norma. What the hell am I supposed to do now?_


End file.
